Monthly Message

The Two Greatest Easter Gifts are Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

REV. GORDON WILLIAMS, April 2010

When you go on a Holy Land Tour, you have to remember that the only reason why we go is because Jesus Christ was not only born there, but He grew up in the fishing village of Nazareth (Matt. 2: 23) in the home of a man named Joseph, a carpenter, who taught Jesus the same trade. He was the eldest of a family which had which had 5 sons and two sisters (Matt. 13: 55). He attended synagogue and accompanied His family to the Temple in Jerusalem (Lk. 2: 52). The problem, for some people, is that because Jesus had an above average understanding of the Scriptures and God, they think that he must have gone away to study at a special religious school (Lk. 2: 46 - 52).

What these people did not understand is that Jesus had the Holy Spirit to guide Him and give Him understanding. When we have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we have the Counselor, the Holy Spirit?, Who will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you? (Jn. 14: 26).

In other words, the Holy Spirit enlarges our capacity to learn and understand the Scriptures. Those who have not received the "real Baptism of the Holy Spirit?, prove that because they are the "unspiritual? people? who "do not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2: 14)?. Jesus told the scribes, "and you shall love the Lord our God with all of your heart and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind? (Mk. 12: 30).

Two United States Universities did laboratory tests on tongues speaking Christians in order to see if there was any psychological damage done to their brains when they were speaking, praying or singing in the tongues languages. They discovered just the opposite, that when using their Holy Spirit given languages, their whole brains were engaged and they had a greater learning ability & were healthier. So the only way we can love our God with our whole mind is to pray and speak in the new tongues language that the Holy Spirit gives us.

When Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary to pay for our sins (Jn. 3: 16) he then rose again from the dead and appeared physically to more than 500 people (1 Cor. 15: 5 - 9), it doesn?t make sense to many church people. But, He did it! After Jesus? resurrection from the dead, He could not send the Holy Spirit because He "was not glorified? (Jn. 7: 39) which means that He had not returned to heaven. After He ascended into heaven (Acts 1: 9 - 11) He sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost when He sent the Holy Spirit, 120 people in the Upper Room were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (languages)? (Acts 2: 4).

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is the proof that Jesus rose from the dead. It is the daily guarantee to ourselves that we have a place reserved in heaven every time we speak, pray or sing with the tongues languages (Eph. 1: 13 - 14). Peter said, ?I perceive that God shows no partiality? (Acts 10: 34). That means everyone needs to have proof that they have received the Holy Spirit. When he heard all the people in Cornelius? home "speaking in tongues and extolling God? (Acts 10: 46) he knew they had received the Holy Spirit. The same proof is for everybody. The two greatest Easter Gifts are Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the "signs? following. If you have never received them, come to one of our meetings or contact me so you can receive them both. "Jesus has risen from the dead!